British base on Cyprus rocked by riots

Governments condemn violence sparked by plan to build radio mast
The British and Cypriot governments yesterday united in condemning bloody riots, prompted by the building of a radio mast branded a serious health hazard by protesters, which have shaken Britain's military presence on the Mediterranean island.

Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides lambasted an MP for inciting the violence, while the British high commissioner to Cyprus described the MP as "a medical monkey stuck up a stick".

In a night of unprecedented violence against the sovereign British bases, about 1,000 Greek Cypriot demonstrators clashed with 140 riot squad officers, drawn from the police and the British army.

The riot was provoked by the arrest of a Cypriot MP, Marios Matsakis, who is leading a campaign to halt plans to erect a 190-metre radio mast in the Akrotiri salt lake in one of the island's two British sovereign base areas.

Environmentalists fear the electromagnetic field created by the antenna will cause child cancer and ruin the natural habitat of the lake, frequented by pink flamingos in winter and spring.

Mr Matsakis, a former state pathologist and paratrooper in the Territorial Army, was arrested for illegal entry and causing criminal damage to the fence around the site on Tuesday afternoon.

In the riot that followed, 34 base police officers, 10 British soldiers and five protesters were injured. Twenty people were taken to hospital and a car carrying British tourists was ambushed on the road to Akrotiri.

About 35 vehicles were torched and Episkopi police station ransacked. Computers and furniture were smashed, windows broken and blood smeared the floor.

A live phone-in on national television urged people to travel down to the military base to send a clear message to the British.

Women, children and MPs were among the protesters, who attacked Britain's military presence on the island, rather than addressing the environmental concerns.

British police commander John Guy yesterday condemned the violence as disgraceful. "I watched defenceless police officers attacked for no reason other than trying to do their lawful duty," he said. "I watched while missiles were thrown and people struck on the head. People were kicked, dragged out of the crowd and kicked. If that is not criminal and hooligan, I do not know what is."

Arrests are expected to be made in the next couple of days, helped by television footage of the rioting.

Yesterday, the protest at Akrotiri was peaceful with around 200-300 villagers and their families holding banners saying "No to Antennas of Death". They were joined by MPs from the Cyprus parliament's environment committee and members of the main opposition party, the leftwing AKEL.

Cyprus and Britain have enjoyed a close relationship since the former colony was granted independence in 1960. Diplomats denied that the friendship had taken a knock as a result of the violence.

President Clerides said in a statement: "The Cyprus government condemns the actions of Mr Matsakis, which led to last night's unacceptable trouble. The government also condemns the actions which incited the incidents and expresses its sorrow for the injuries and damages caused by the protesters."

The president is a decorated RAF Spitfire fighter pilot who was shot down twice by the Germans during the second world war.

In London, Tony Blair's spokesman said: "We obviously condemn absolutely the violence and vandalism that took place overnight. We carried out an environmental assessment that showed the levels of electromagnetic emissions are within EU-Cyprus norms and would pose no danger to local people".

He added: "We have been assiduous in consulting local people, so we would condemn it absolutely. There's absolutely no reason for it."

The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, denied Britain was at fault. "These bases are British sovereign bases, British territory and we have always worked cooperatively with the Cyprus government," he said. "The Cypriot government have been consulted about these changes and a huge amount of effort has gone in to consult the local people and to satisfy them that these transmissions are safe," Mr Straw insisted.

British high commissioner Edward Clay described Mr Matsakis as "a medical monkey up a stick". He was referring to the MP's seven-hour vigil aloft an aerial at Akrotiri on Monday.

But Mr Matsakis was unrepentant, igniting fears that clashes are far from over. "We shall protest and protest and protest. And I repeat, over my dead body will they install this antenna," he said.

Nicosia and London are still negotiating the future of the antenna, supposed to be fully operational by 2003.

A British study in 1997 claimed there was no adverse health risk from the radio mast. But Cyprus will conduct further tests on radiation emissions; the British have promised to scrap the project if any danger is detected.

"The issue of the antenna continues to be dealt with by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs directly with the British government," said the president.

He added: "Despite the negative stance of the British bases authorities there was and there still is room for the continuation of consultations with the British government.

"There was no reason for the interference of Mr Matsakis".

Nicosia says it will not block the communications network, provided an independent study shows there will be no adverse effect on the environment.

Cypriot government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou has offered to foot the £500,000 damage bill, but sovereign base area spokesman Rupert Greenwood said it would be met by the British taxpayer.

Hear Jennie Matthew reporting from Cyprus

The issue explained

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Useful links
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